Tuesday, 20 September 2016

We continue our exploration of the fields of 1970s soul and disco. Today's LP is Nokuzola, released in 1979 on the Ziya Duma label and produced by the legendary West Nkosi. The album features 12 disco-soul-jive numbers by The Sherbone Stars and The Peddlars. While not much can be said about the seminal Peddlars that regular readers don't already know, you may be wondering who The Sherbone Stars are. The ladies - Joana Thango from Kwa Nongoma, Catherine Dumakude from White City Jabavu, Helen Mosolodi from Sibasa and Sandra Senne from Rustenburg - are the unknown voices you can hear harmonising on most of Mpharanyana's recordings made with The Peddlars between 1978 and 1979. The composer credits indicate the presence of session player Meshack Mkhwanazi and the LP itself includes some lead vocals from other freelancers including Albert Motha, Mahotella Queens vocalist Thandi Radebe and Jacob Khoza. Mpharanyana Radebe only appears on one number here - "Ngiyizwile Inyoni" - but there are Zulu language versions of songs from his album Morena Re Thuse Kaofela(Soul Jazz Pop BL 173). Both Meshack Mkhwanazi and The Sherbone Stars were shepherded by West on a variety of studio productions including the aforementioned Morena Re Thuse Kaofela, Patience Africa's hit albums Siyabonga (Soul Jazz Pop BL 175) and Let's Groove Tonight (Black Hi-Lights Records BL 245) and a number of recordings by Venda group Takalani Band, shared here on Afrosynth. Both Meshack and fellow musician Albert Motha were recruited by West into a new mbaqanga group later in 1979 - Amaswazi Emvelo.

Enjoy!THE SHERBONE STARSNOKUZOLA
produced by West Nkosi
Ziya Duma BL 174
1979
Zulu and English Vocal